A top government minister reveals that former Minister Chamara Sampath was directly involved in a decades-long illegal ilmenite racket at Wilpattu’s border, operating without legal clearance and putting sensitive ecosystems at risk. A national mineral policy is now underway.
Industries and Entrepreneurship Minister Sunil Handunnetti has revealed that former Minister Chamara Sampath Dassanayake was directly responsible for operating an unauthorized ilmenite washing site at Aruwakkadu, located near the sensitive border of the Wilpattu National Forest Park.
Minister Handunnetti made these remarks during an inspection tour of the site, where he emphasized that the operation took place in clear violation of legal procedures and without approval from key regulatory bodies. He alleged that political interference enabled the site to run with impunity, despite its location in an archaeologically and environmentally sensitive zone.
“This is a dangerous precedent where politicians, acting on their own whims, pushed forward projects without legal clearance. Even public officials were unable to take appropriate action due to the influence exerted,” said the Minister.
He explained that the site falls on land belonging to the Cement Corporation, which is under the purview of the Ministry of Industries. Insi Cement Company, currently producing cement, had been using ilmenite-rich soil from the land prior to extracting limestone for cement production.
The land for the ilmenite processing was allocated under the guise of a pilot project. According to the Minister, 50,000 bollards were provided without seeking clearance from the Attorney General or receiving Cabinet approval.
“A pilot project cannot run for 30 years. That’s not how the system works,” Minister Handunnetti stated, expressing outrage at the scale and duration of the operation. “Our inspection revealed that the activity was carried out without authorization from the Central Environmental Authority, the Geological and Mining Bureau, or the Department of Archaeology.”
He added that the entire operation was conducted with the expectation that retrospective approval would eventually be granted. However, evidence now confirms that former Minister Chamara Sampath used his political power to push the project through.
“No protections were in place despite the site’s proximity to the Wilpattu National Park. There was absolutely no concern for ecological preservation,” the Minister stated.
Minister Handunnetti went on to say that if it is legally possible to mine ilmenite within internationally accepted environmental frameworks, the government will do so. He noted that many nations are capitalizing on rare minerals, and Sri Lanka must evaluate the potential for lawful and sustainable mining.
“We are now exploring the feasibility of conducting mining activities within a legal structure. To that end, we are preparing a national policy on the responsible use of mineral resources. We will ensure that political meddling, such as what occurred in this case, will not be allowed to destroy ecosystems ever again,” he said.
He also commended the efforts of the Walana anti-corruption team for conducting raids and the media for exposing the operation. An investigation is now underway to assess how state institutions handled the issue and to identify whether internal collusion enabled the illicit project to flourish.
